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Story Highlights

One of Nashville's largest planning, engineering and environmental firms is being acquired by a larger North Carolina-based competitor.

Raleigh, N.C.-based S&ME Inc. has a letter of intent to buy Littlejoin in a deal that would expand its reach into design and planning services.

“We help round out the process of going from comprehension to completion of the project with our design capabilities,” said Jim Littlejohn, president of the company he founded 26 years ago.

The deal is expected to be completed at year’s end. Littlejohn will become a wholly owned subsidiary of S&ME — retaining its name, services, professional staff and presence in each of its current markets.

S&ME already had a small Nashville office and previously bought Qore Property Sciences here. The company —specialized in geotechnical, environmental, and construction services — is owned by its 950 workers.

Financial details of the deal weren’t disclosed. The combined firm will have 1,100 employees in more than 30 locations nationwide — ranking within Engineering News Record’s top 100 design firms in revenue.

Littlejohn employs more than 130 engineers, landscape architects, planners, surveyors, environmental scientists, industrial hygienists and support personnel. All seven principals that own the firm will stay on.

Littlejohn helped in the development of the Music Row Roundabout, Fieldstone Farms in Franklin, Rolling Mill Hill and the Gulch. The firm is also involved with apartments near the new Sounds ballpark at Sulphur Dell.